Fire-escape



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. WESTBROOK OF FORT JERVIS, NEW YO RK.

' FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,574, dated May 8, 1888.

w A Application filed January 21, 1888. Serial No. 261,494. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK A. WESTBROOK, of Port Jervis, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in frictional fire-escapes; and it consists in, first, the combination of the frame composed of two I 5 parts loosely connected together at their upper ends, and one of which is provided with cars, the lever journaled in the ears and provided with an opening through its upper end, a handle on its lower end, and an arm on its inner upper corner to force the two parts of the frame together, and the rope or strap which passes through the opening in the upper end of the lever; second, the combination of the frame composed of two parts, provided at their upper ends with lugs and projections for uniting them loosely together, the ears or bearings secured to one of the parts, the rope upon which the frame moves, the operatinglever provided with an opening through its upper end for the supporting strap or rope, a handle on its lower end, and an arm which forces the two parts of the frame against the rope, as will be more fully described herein after.

The object of my invention is to provide a frictional fire-escape by means of which persons can quickly and safelylet themselves from burning buildings; to provide a fireescape which can be used in connection with ropes of all kinds, and which is equally well adapted to persons of different weights, and in which the parts are few, simple, and not liable to get out of order. v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fire-escape 5 embodying my invention, shown partlyin sec- .tion. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the parts upon the dotted line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a slight modification. Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section taken through the dotted line of Fig. 3.

A represents onepart of a frictional frame,

B is-also provided with lugs or projections E, which catch over the projections D, as

shown in Fig. 1, so as to prevent any possibility of the two parts of the frame becoming separated. At or near the center of the part A are formed the two ears or bearings F, which project beyond the outer side of the part B, and which bearings have suitable recesses, G,

in their top edges to receive thejournals H of 7c the operating-lever I. This lever I has its upper end to project outwardly a suitable distance, and has an opening, J, made through it, so as to receive the rope or strap L, which is to be fastened around the body of the person. The lower end of the lever is formed into a handle, N, by means of which the descending person, by exerting an inward pressure against the part B, will increase the friction of the two parts of the frame A B upon the rope, and thus instantly stop his or her descent at any desired point. Projecting from the inner and upper corner of the lever I, just below the journals H, is an arm or lever, O, which bears against the outer side of the part B of the frame, and thus forces the two parts of the frame tightly against the rope.

The person descending upon the ropeC has the rope or strap L secured around the body in any suitable manner, and then he catches hold j of the handle N, to both balance himself and to control the descent. The weight of the person forces the arm or projection 0 against the outer side of the frame B, and thereby forces the two parts of the frame A B tightly together 9 5 against the rope, and thus exerts a sufficient frictional contact upon the rope to keep from descending too rapidly.

In Fig. 3 the upper end of the body A is provided with openings, throughwhich and the upper slotted end of the part B the pin Q is passed, for the purpose of pivoting the two parts of the frame A B together. Near the center of the frame aloop, R, is passed around it. Just above the ears F, and in these ears, the lever I is pivoted. The lever I is provided at its inner upper corner with a hook, S, which catches inside of the loop R. The lever I bears against the pivot of the frame B in proportion to the weight of the person sus pended in the rope or strap L. The person descending, by catching hold of the handle on the lower end of this lever, can increase the frictional contact of the two frames AB against the rope sufficiently to stop his descent at any desired point.

The two parts of the frame A B can be made of any desired length, and the lover I can be lengthened or shortened, as may be desired.

The great advantage of this invention consists in the automatic operation of the two parts of the frame upon the rope. When the two parts of the frame A B are regulated for one weight, they are regulated for all weights that the strength of the material will support. Nervous or insensible persons can be lowered from a burning building as safely as one who has become an expert in the use of the apparatus.

The parts as here shown are especially adapted for a wire rope, as they do not bend the rope; but I do not limit myself to the precise construction here shown and described, for this may be slightly varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

This device is especially adapted not only for escaping from burning buildings, but for the use of painters and sailors and builders of all classes.

, Having thus described my invention, I claim- 12" In a fire escape, the combination of the frame composed of the two parts A B, loosely connected together at their upper ends and provided with the ears F, with the lever I, provided with bearings to catch in the ears, an opening, J, through its upper end for the rope L to catch in, a handle on its lower end, and an arm or projection on its inner upper corner to force the two parts of the frame tightly against the rope G, substantially as shown.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of the FRANK A. WESTBROOK.

\Vitnesses:

W. E. MoCoRMIoK, EDGAR SNooK. 

